MHLA December Newsletter

Alert regarding Closed Captioning Requests in Public AreasMaryland law requires that, upon request, places of public accommodation, including hotels, bars, and restaurants, are to keep closed captioning activated on any television that is in use during regular hours in any public area. Click here to view the resource guide for activating captions on your television, which may be shared when training staff members who might encounter such requests.

Montgomery County Lifeguard Bill Signed into LawWe are pleased to report a win on lifeguard legislation recently passed by the County Council, signed into law on November 10, and having taken effect on the same day. Click here to read Expedited Bill 16-17, which details certain exceptions and requirements that must be met in order for guests to swim at their own risk. Contact Amy Rohrer for more information.

Maryland ranks 13th in sex-trafficking cases. Proposed legislation aims to stop it online.Source: Delmarva Daily TimesLast year, Maryland had the 13th-most sex trafficking cases in the country with 161, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This year, the hotline reported 61 sex trafficking cases in the state as of June 30. A House Energy and Commerce hearing Thursday examined legislation that would close loopholes in federal law that critics fear has allowed pervasive online sex trafficking. READ MORE

MHLA NEWS & UPDATES

Annual “Stars of the Industry Awards” Luncheon AnnouncedMark your calendars! The 29th Annual “Stars of the Industry” Awards Luncheon will take place on February 8, 2018 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Nominations will be accepted through January 12. For more information, or to sponsor this prestigious event, contactChristine Abein the MHLA office.October 2017 STR ReportSmith Travel Research data for Maryland shows occupancy is up slightly, ADR has increased 2.5%, and RevPAR is up 4.1% YTD through October 2017 compared to the same period last year. Maryland data is provided monthly to MHLA by Smith Travel Research. Members may view the full report online. Go to https://mdlodging.org/members/ and select “Industry Statistics and Research.” (Member log-in required.)

Baltimore wins grant to launch hotel apprenticeship program for youSource: Baltimore Business JournalBaltimore will be one of a handful of cities to participate in a new apprenticeship initiative that aims to pair local youth with jobs in the hotel industry. The American Hotel & Lodging Association and MHLA awarded $50,000 to Baltimore nonprofits who will identify and train young adults to fill openings at hotels through the state. READ MORE

Changing Baltimore’s Image One Luxury Hotel at a Time Source: SkiftCan a luxury hotel – or two, or three – change a city’s image? Baltimore is frequently described as blue-collar and gritty and national new coverage of the city’s ills has been quite extensive. But can a city’s hotel industry be the driving force behind a renaissance? Baltimore could be a test case. READ MORE

Carousel Hotel Founder, Bobby Baker, dies at 89Source: Delmarva Now Robert Gene “Bobby” Baker, Washington, D.C., politician and Ocean City hotel founder, died on Saturday, November 11. Baker helped build the Carousel Oceanfront Hotel & Condos in 1962 after leaving a government position. READ MORE

AC Hotel by Marriott Could Arrive in Downtown Bethesda as soon as 2021Source: Bethesda Magazine A downtown Bethesda developer has announced plans to build a 219-room AC Hotel by Marriott as part of a mixed-use project at the corner of Montgomery and Wisconsin avenues. READ MORE

5 tips to prepare for Google’s mobile-first indexSource: Hotel News NowNext year, Google will switch to a mobile-first index, and hoteliers need to be ready lest they see their websites falling in search rankings. “Google’s mobile-first index means that they will soon be organizing their search results based on the mobile version of websites, only calling on desktop versions when there isn’t a mobile version to index,” said Tim Johnson, corporate director of e-commerce for LBA Hospitality. READ MORE